28/01/2016 22:47
Calzedonia VERONA extend maiden European campaign to Challenge Cup quarter-finals
2016 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup - Men
Istanbul, Turkey, January 28, 2016. After travelling to Istanbul determined to claim also the re-match against Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL, Italy's Calzedonia VERONA repeated the same performance they had delivered last week on home soil and recorded a second 3-1 win over the side from Turkey’s megalopolis (23-25, 25-22, 25-19, 25-22) to move on to the quarter-finals of the 2016 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup – Men and play there France’s Arago de SETE.
After recording a 3-1 win last week in Italy, all Calzedonia VERONA needed to secure their progression to the next round was to take two sets from the re-match with Galatasaray. On the other side of the net, hosts Galatasaray HDI needed a 3-0 or 3-1 victory to take the match to a golden set.
The hosts started the match pretty well, so that even when their Colombian star opposite Liberman Agamez had to be substituted with home-grown rising star Melih Siratca, they still kept control of the game and won the opening set 25-23. Calzedonia VERONA were able to turn the tide with the help of their Serbian outside spiker Uros Kovacevic in the second set, cruising to a 25-22 win. Galatasaray HDI kept on fighting up until after the second technical time-out of the third set. As the hosts could not take any additional points, Calzedonia VERONA pocketed a 25-19 win which secured their participation in the quarter-finals of the 2016 CEV Volleyball Challenge Cup.
Galatasaray HDI did not give in despite the fact that even winning the match would not have given them any extra chance to continue their journey in the Challenge Cup. Still, their efforts were not rewarded and Calzedonia VERONA claimed also the fourth set (25-22) to seal their second 3-1 victory within one week.
Galatasaray HDI ISTANBUL Finnish setter Eemi Tervaportti shared his regrets and said while being interviewed by Galatasaray TV: “Actually we should have stayed in the CEV Volleyball Cup where we started our European campaign earlier this season. We made it to the third stage of the Challenge Cup and at this point we were defeated by a better team.”
After the match the coaching staff and players of Calzedonia VERONA found a moment to celebrate with a bunch of fans that have been accompanying them to each of the away matches they have played in their maiden European campaign so far.
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